Doctors Can’t Stay Silent Anymore: Why Shoshana Ungerleider Is Calling on Clinicians to Speak Out
Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider has built a career at the intersection of science and storytelling without ever leaving medicine behind. As an internal medicine physician, founder of the End Well Foundation, host of the TED Health podcast, and producer of Emmy and Oscar nominated documentaries, she’s made it her mission to help people talk more honestly about health, illness, and the end of life. Whether she’s breaking down chronic pain bias or challenging media myths about CPR, her work is reshaping how clinicians show up for their patients and for the public.
On this episode of How I Doctor, Dr. Graham Walker talks with Shoshana about the one skill most doctors were never trained in - communication. They dig into what it takes to build trust in a world flooded with hype, how to stay grounded when patients believe misinformation, and why more physicians need to speak up - not just in the exam room, but on social media, on camera, and in public life. If you’ve ever felt unprepared for the emotional side of medicine or unsure how to respond when patients bring in beliefs from TikTok instead of textbooks, this conversation is a must-listen.
In a healthcare system flooded with hype, misinformation, and systemic blind spots, Shoshana offers a timely reminder that how we communicate is just as important as what we know. In this episode, she and Dr. Graham Walker explore what it means for physicians to speak out, confront bias, and build public trust starting at the bedside and extending far beyond it.
Why Doctors Must Lean Into Uncertainty to Rebuild Trust
“I think the public really is smart enough to handle nuance, but I think we need to come at this with honesty about uncertainty, and I try to focus on stories that help people understand their bodies better and have better conversations with their doctors rather than promising some kind of miracle outcome.”
As health misinformation floods social media and hype often drowns out evidence, Shoshana argues that physicians can’t afford to oversimplify—or stay silent. Communicating complexity with honesty, she says, is what builds long-term trust. Her framework starts with the science and ends with the question: “Would I want my own family hearing this?”
How Storytelling Can Shift Culture Around Death and Dying
“There is an appetite for this kind of content out there… and shining light in some of these hidden, darker places, especially as it relates to end of life, is such a wonderful way for educating the public so that they can understand what goes on in hospitals and hopefully be able to make better decisions for themselves and the people they love when it matters.”
Shoshana didn’t plan to become a filmmaker—but her work on Extremis helped show the power of narrative to make end-of-life conversations more visible, humane, and actionable. Through TED, Netflix, and now End Well, she’s helping shift the way Americans think about palliative care, CPR, and what it means to die with dignity.
How Clinical Bias Shows Up—And What to Do About It
“The question of self-checking for bias is crucial, and I think the most important tool maybe is simply pausing and asking yourself, what assumptions am I making about this person right now?”
Even with years of experience, Shoshana discovered through death doula training that unconscious bias and emotional triggers were still shaping her clinical behavior. She advocates for practical tools like “the switch test” and reflective practices to help physicians recognize and interrupt bias at the bedside.
Why More Physicians Need to Speak Out
“I think we actually have to, as much as I hate to say that… we cannot be silent.”
From navigating prior auths to confronting public health misinformation, Shoshana says the time for physicians to stay silent is over. Whether it’s political advocacy, media engagement, or simply sharing daily realities, doctors have a responsibility to be part of the public conversation.
Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider reminds us that being a great physician today requires more than clinical expertise—it takes curiosity, courage, and a willingness to communicate when it matters most. Whether you’re facing misinformation, breaking bad news, or simply trying to connect with your patients on a human level, this episode is a call to show up—not just as a doctor, but as a leader, a listener, and a voice for change.
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Find out more about Shoshana here and connect with her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/shoshanamd/
Listen to the TED Health Podcast at https://www.ted.com/pages/ted-health
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